Conversion of human and mouse fibroblasts into lung-like epithelial cells.

ABSTRACT: Cell lineage conversion of fibroblasts to specialized cell types through transdifferentiation may provide a fast and alternative cell source for regenerative medicine. Here we show that transient transduction of fibroblasts with the four reprogramming factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc) in addition to the early lung transcription factor Nkx2-1 (also known as Ttf1), followed by directed differentiation of the cells, can convert mouse embryonic and human adult dermal fibroblasts into induced lung-like epithelial cells (iLEC). These iLEC differentiate into multiple lung cell types in air liquid interface cultures, repopulate decellularized rat lung scaffolds, and form lung epithelia composed of Ciliated, Goblet, Basal, and Club cells after transplantation into immune-compromised mice. As pr

SUBMITTER: Wong AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6588580 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature